Do You Purchase Travel Insurance?
Jan 15, 2022, 8:18 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: UA Million Miler (lite). NY Metro area.
Posts: 15,079
Do You Purchase Travel Insurance?
There's been lots of talk on one of the Facebook travel pages about the pros and cons of buying or not buying insurance for your trip.
Please tell me if you buy insurance, or if you don't buy insurance. I'd like to take an informal poll of Flyertalkers.
I'll respond first with a NO.
Please tell me if you buy insurance, or if you don't buy insurance. I'd like to take an informal poll of Flyertalkers.
I'll respond first with a NO.
Jan 15, 2022, 9:24 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,735
There's been lots of talk on one of the Facebook travel pages about the pros and cons of buying or not buying insurance for your trip.
Please tell me if you buy insurance, or if you don't buy insurance. I'd like to take an informal poll of Flyertalkers.
I'll respond first with a NO.
Please tell me if you buy insurance, or if you don't buy insurance. I'd like to take an informal poll of Flyertalkers.
I'll respond first with a NO.
For a high value trip, i.e. international airfare, pre-paid lodging, etc. I do, and it has twice paid off.
For a domestic trip where I'm not locked into lodging, no, not usually.
Jan 15, 2022, 10:08 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SoCal
Programs: UA Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 186
Yes, almost all of the time.
First it was elderly parents and work commitments that could cause cancellations or changes. Those are less of an issue now.
Refund/credit policies play into too.
Now, unless most costs are small or refundable, we insure at least the non-refundable parts of the trip.
Have had to use the insurance a couple times so it has been worth it.
First it was elderly parents and work commitments that could cause cancellations or changes. Those are less of an issue now.
Refund/credit policies play into too.
Now, unless most costs are small or refundable, we insure at least the non-refundable parts of the trip.
Have had to use the insurance a couple times so it has been worth it.
Jan 16, 2022, 12:29 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,307
Always.
For me, it covers medical costs abroad as well as travel related issues and I would hate to get a hospital bill in many countries, especially the USA. I was lucky enough that it also covered Covid disruption at the start of the pandemic.
For me, it covers medical costs abroad as well as travel related issues and I would hate to get a hospital bill in many countries, especially the USA. I was lucky enough that it also covered Covid disruption at the start of the pandemic.
Jan 16, 2022, 1:50 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, Hyatt something
Posts: 33,539
I have bought a yearly travel health policy for my family. Never bought individual flight or hotel policies. I tend to book using miles or points, or ones where you can cancel a day before your hotel stay.
I currently have a cruise booked at the end of the month, that I think will be canceled. I’ll wait for the cruise line to cancel. My flights and one hotel night are all cancelable the same day, or a day in advance.
I currently have a cruise booked at the end of the month, that I think will be canceled. I’ll wait for the cruise line to cancel. My flights and one hotel night are all cancelable the same day, or a day in advance.
Jan 16, 2022, 2:02 am
#9
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah USA
Programs: DL 2MM/PM, HH LT <>, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,283
Yes but I insure mainly for medical care and evacuation costs not for trip costs. Travel policies insuring $500 worth of travel / accommodations but offering adequate medical and a million in medical evacuation are inexpensive. Nowadays covid contingencies / quarantine are also a factor.
As a doc I occasionally see patients get sick or injured away from home who face enormous bills for medical transport. The highest one: $250,000 - cash.
Jim
As a doc I occasionally see patients get sick or injured away from home who face enormous bills for medical transport. The highest one: $250,000 - cash.
Jim
Jan 16, 2022, 8:52 am
#10
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 261
For many years I did not buy travel insurance and never had a problem where it would have been of benefit. Now I buy cheap medical and evacuation insurance. Those policies tend to have some other benefits included in the package, like trip delay or lost baggage. I use my Chase Sapphire preferred card for most travel purchases, it has very good insurance coverage.
Jan 16, 2022, 2:40 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,631
I never did until certain countries started requiring medical insurance for entry. For years, I've held a med evac policy. If I end up in the hospital, the insurance flies me home to my US hospital in appropriate medical transport.
Given how relatively cheap the travel insurance policies are (for award travel, hotels that can be canceled day prior, etc., so I don't need to insure for a high trip value), I may be buying it more frequently.
Given how relatively cheap the travel insurance policies are (for award travel, hotels that can be canceled day prior, etc., so I don't need to insure for a high trip value), I may be buying it more frequently.
Jan 16, 2022, 3:31 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 94
Since I make several international and domestic trips each year I buy an annual policy.
Costs about what two individual trip policies cost and works for every trip 100 miles or more from home.
In this age of flight delays, cancellations, lost baggage, medical complicatons, etc. it's been worth multiple
times what it costs.
Costs about what two individual trip policies cost and works for every trip 100 miles or more from home.
In this age of flight delays, cancellations, lost baggage, medical complicatons, etc. it's been worth multiple
times what it costs.
Jan 16, 2022, 3:33 pm
#15
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,407
Never. My employer gives me worldwide medical coverage and medical evacuation. I pick refundable hotel rates and never do tour groups or other packages, so I don't prepay anything other than business conference registration fees, which my employer covers. If I were to take an expensive (Antartica?) cruise, I'd want travel insurance, as well as insurance when a country requires some specific policy. I'd possibly consider a COVID-19 policy, although the rates I've seen make me want to self insure instead unless I would need the evacuation back to the USA when not medically necessary--i.e., to avoid a quarantine abroad after a positive test when asymptomatic or experiencing only mild symptoms (fully vaccinated).